Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for performing plasma etching to form a gate electrode on a large-scale substrate while ensuring the in-plane uniformity of the CD shift of the gate electrode. The present invention measures a radical density distribution of plasma in the processing chamber, feeds processing gases into the processing chamber through multiple locations and controls either the flow rates or compositions of the respective processing gases or the in-plane temperature distribution of a stage on which the substrate is placed, or feeds processing gases into the processing chamber through multiple locations and controls both the flow rates or compositions of the processing gases and the in-plane temperature distribution of the stage on which the substrate is placed.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus for reproducing information from an optical disk, includes: a semiconductor laser applying a beam to an optical disk having two recording layers through an objective lens; and a light receiving device to which light reflected from the optical disk is directed through the objective lens and a beam splitting device, wherein: the beam splitting device has two first light receiving areas for detecting a push-pull signal and a second light receiving area for detecting a focus error signal, and a configuration is provided such that the center of the optical axis of the reflected light in the beam splitting device is made to lie within the second light receiving area for detecting the focus error signal.

Abstract: The invention provides a charged particle therapy system capable of increasing the number of patients treated. An irradiation filed forming apparatus for irradiating a charged particle beam extracted from a charged particle beam generator to an irradiation target includes an RMW device. The RMW device comprises a housing and an RMW disposed within the housing. A rotary shaft of the RMW is rotatably mounted to the housing. The RMW device is detachably installed in an RMW holding member providied in a casing of the irradiation filed forming apparatus. The housing can be placed in contact with the RMW holding member, and hence positioning of the rotary shaft of the RMW to a predetermined position can be performed in a short time. This contributed to cutting a time required for treatment per patient and increasing the number of patients treated.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for overcoming the drawbacks of deteriorated throughput, deteriorated reproducibility and plasma discharge instability when continuous discharge is performed during multiple steps of plasma etching. The present invention provides a gas switching method for switching from gas supply source 101 to gas supply source 111, wherein the gas supply source 101 is switched to gas supply source 111 by opening a valve 114 in advance, setting a flow rate of MFC 112 to a flow rate used in the subsequent step, letting the gas supply source 111 to flow toward an exhaust means 5, and closing the valve 114 simultaneously when opening the valve 113, wherein a volume V1 of an area of a gas pipe 115 surrounded by the valve 113, the valve 114 and the MFC 112 is set sufficiently smaller than a volume Vo from the shower plate to the valve 113 including a gas reservoir 10 and a processing gas line 8.

Abstract: A charged particle beam irradiation system and a charged particle beam extraction method which can prevent erroneous irradiation of a charged particle beam in the direction of advance of the charged particle beam. The system and method are featured in stopping supply of an ion beam to one or more of a plurality of angle zones in each of which a target dose is attained, the angle zones being formed by dividing an RMW in a rotating direction thereof, and in allowing the supply of the ion beam to one or more other angle zones in each of which a target dose is not yet attained. The invention can easily adjust beam doses at various positions in an affected part of the patient body in the direction of advance of the ion beam, and can greatly reduce the probability of erroneous irradiation that the beam dose becomes excessive or deficient at the various positions within the affected part of the patient body in the direction of advance of the ion beam.

Abstract: A polarizing beam splitter for separating an upstream beam from a downstream beam according to the polarization of an incident beam is provided between first and second light sources emitting laser beams at respective wavelength and an objective lens. A phase plate for providing a phase difference to a beam incident on the polarizing beam splitter is provided between the polarizing beam splitter and the light sources. A portion of the laser beam incident on the polarizing beam splitter is reflected by the polarizing beam splitter and caused to be incident on a photo-detecting unit, so as to prevent an unnecessary portion of the laser beam is incident on the photo-detecting unit. According to the invention, the laser beam is used efficiently and the cost of fabricating an optical disk apparatus is reduced by eliminating a need for a gain controlling circuit in the photo-detecting unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides an increased degree of uniformity of radiation dose distribution for the interior of a diseased part. A particle beam therapy system includes a charged particle beam generation apparatus and an irradiation apparatus. An ion beam is generated by the charged particle beam generation apparatus. The irradiation apparatus exposes a diseased part to the generated ion beam. A scattering device, a range adjustment device, and a Bragg peak spreading device are installed upstream of a first scanning magnet and a second scanning magnet. The scattering device and the range adjustment device are combined together and moved along a beam axis, whereas the Bragg peak spreading device is moved independently along the beam axis. The scattering device moves to adjust the degree of ion beam scattering. The range adjustment device moves to adjust ion beam scatter changes caused by an absorber thickness adjustment.

Abstract: The invention is intended to confirm whether the SOBP (spread-out Bragg peak) width is a desired value in real time during beam irradiation, and to improve safety in treatment. Ion beam delivery equipment comprises a beam generator including a synchrotron, an RMW (range modulation wheel) device for forming an SOBP width of an ion beam extracted from the beam generator, a beam delivery nozzle including a reference dose monitor and a main dose monitor which are installed respectively upstream and downstream of the RMW device in the direction of travel of the ion beam, and an SOBP width computing unit for computing the SOBP width of the ion beam, which is formed by the RMW device, based on values detected by both the reference dose monitor and the main dose monitor.

Abstract: The invention is intended to increase the number of patients treatable using one wheel having a thickness varied in the rotating direction to change energy of an ion beam passing the wheel. Ion beam delivery equipment for irradiating an ion beam to a patient for treatment comprises a beam generator for producing and accelerating the ion beam, an beam delivery nozzle including a range modulation wheel which has a predetermined thickness distribution in the rotating direction and is rotated on a travel passage of the ion beam generated from the beam generator to control a range of the ion beam, and an irradiation controller for controlling the beam producing and accelerating operation of the beam generator in accordance with the phase of rotation of the range modulation wheel.

Abstract: A therapy system using an ion beam, which can shorten the time required for positioning a couch (patient). The therapy system using the ion beam comprises a rotating gantry provided with an ion beam delivery unit including an X-ray tube. An X-ray detecting device having a plurality of X-ray detectors can be moved in the direction of a rotation axis of the rotating gantry. A couch on which a patient is lying is moved until a tumor substantially reaches an extension of an ion beam path in the irradiating unit. The X-ray tube is positioned on the ion beam path and the X-ray detecting device is positioned on the extension of the ion beam path. With rotation of the rotating gantry, both the X-ray tube emitting an X-ray and the X-ray detecting device revolve around the patient. The X-ray is emitted to the patient and detected by the X-ray detectors after penetrating the patient. Tomographic information of the patient is formed based on signals outputted from the X-ray detectors.

Abstract: In performing plasma etching with the aim to form a gate electrode on a large-diameter substrate, it is difficult according to prior art methods to ensure the in-plane uniformity of CD shift of the gate electrode. The present invention solves the problem by supplying processing gases having different flow rates and compositions respectively through openings formed at positions opposing to the substrate and at the upper corner or side wall of the processing chamber.

Abstract: The invention aims at solving the problems of throughput deterioration, reproducibility deterioration and plasma discharge instability when performing continuous discharge during multiple steps of plasma etching. According to the present invention, the gas supply unit is operated while determining the timing for switching conditions of a plurality of plasma etching steps, and the gas flow rate and gas pressure are controlled so that the pressure of processing gas supplied from the gas supply unit to the processing chamber does not fall below a predetermined pressure immediately subsequent to switching steps.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pesticide with surfactant of alkyl glucoside-derivatives blended into hydrogenated starch hydrolysate. Pesticide of the present invention, therefore, causes no concern about occurrence of pesticide-resistance, giving no adverse effect to agricultural and horticultural products, while working better to control harmful organisms at lower concentrations than conventional. Moreover, it is pesticide of environmental preservation type with better safety for humans and animals as well as ecological friedliness.

Abstract: A particle therapy system capable of measuring energy of a charged particle beam even during irradiation of the charged particle beam is provided. A beam delivery (irradiation) system comprises a block collimator constituted by a pair of collimator members, and an energy detector mounted to one of the collimator members to be disposed on the upstream side thereof. When the pair of collimator members are moved in directions away from each other, a beam passage is formed between them. The energy detector constitutes an energy measuring device together with a signal processing unit. A part of the ion beam having reached the interior of the irradiation nozzle is irradiated to a patient through the beam passage. When a part of the remaining ion beam enters the energy detector, electric charges generate in the energy detector. The signal processing unit determines energy of the ion beam based on a position within the energy detector at which electric charges have generated in maximum amount.

Abstract: The invention is intended to increase the number of patients treatable using one wheel having a thickness varied in the rotating direction to change energy of an ion beam passing the wheel. Ion beam delivery equipment for irradiating an ion beam to a patient for treatment comprises a beam generator for producing and accelerating the ion beam, an beam delivery nozzle including a range modulation wheel which has a predetermined thickness distribution in the rotating direction and is rotated on a travel passage of the ion beam generated from the beam generator to control a range of the ion beam, and an irradiation controller for controlling the beam producing and accelerating operation of the beam generator in accordance with the phase of rotation of the range modulation wheel.

Abstract: The invention is intended to always ensure a sufficient level of patient positioning accuracy regardless of the skills of individual operators.

Abstract: The invention is intended to always ensure a sufficient level of patient positioning accuracy regardless of the skills of individual operators.

Abstract: A therapy system using an ion beam, which can shorten the time required for positioning a couch (patient). The therapy system using the ion beam comprises a rotating gantry provided with an ion beam delivery unit including an X-ray tube. An X-ray detecting device having a plurality of X-ray detectors can be moved in the direction of a rotation axis of the rotating gantry. A couch on which a patient is lying is moved until a tumor substantially reaches an extension of an ion beam path in the irradiating unit. The X-ray tube is positioned on the ion beam path and the X-ray detecting device is positioned on the extension of the ion beam path. With rotation of the rotating gantry, both the X-ray tube emitting an X-ray and the X-ray detecting device revolve around the patient. The X-ray is emitted to the patient and detected by the X-ray detectors after penetrating the patient. Tomographic information of the patient is formed based on signals outputted from the X-ray detectors.

Abstract: A therapeutic bed is arranged so that its inclination is adjusted by a bed inclination adjusting device provided to a rotation drive device disposed in a Y-direction moving device. The bed inclination adjusting device supports the therapeutic bed at three points by its three inclination adjusters. Each of the inclination adjusters converts the rotation of a motor into the rectilinear motion of a slider, and varies the level of a universal joint provided to the therapeutic bed by a support rod rotatably attached to the slider. This allows the inclination angle of the therapeutic bed to be varied. The provision of the bed inclination adjusting device reduces the number of drive devices for positioning the therapeutic bed, thereby decreasing the cumulative value of errors in all drive devices.

Abstract: A front cross member 202 of a rear subframe 53 has a recessed portion 221 which is recessed continuously over a longitudinal direction thereof. The recessed portion 221 is formed at a lower portion of the cross member 202 and is recessed upwardly, and an elastic bush 240 is fitted in a resulting recess. The elastic bush 240 has an elastic element 243 which connects together an inner tube 241 and an outer tube 242 which surrounds the inner tube 231 and is mounted on the rear subframe 53 at the recessed portion 221 as a bracket. The bracket 221 has bracket plate portions 263a, 263b which each have a plane which is brought into contact with an end face of the inner tube and folded-back portions 235, 235. The bracket 221 is disposed in such a manner as to hold therein both ends of the inner tube 241 and is configured such that the elastic bush 240 is mounted thereon by passing a bolt 224 through the inner tube 241.